German air force scrambles fighter jets to track Indian plane

A Jet Airways passenger aircraft with more than 300 people on board was escorted by German Air Force planes after it lost contact with Air Traffic Control during a flight from Mumbai to London on Thursday.

Two Eurofighter Typhoons belonging to the German Air Force were sent to intercept the Jet flight 9W 118 after all efforts by the local ATC tower to establish communication failed. Once the communication was restored, the aircraft (VT-JEX) continued its flight to London.

The video of the incident has gone viral on social media which show the passenger jet flying high is followed by two fighter jets. "As part of the standard process, the flight crew of 9W 118 has been de-rostered pending investigation", a statement by Jet Airways said.

"Contact between the flight and the local air traffic control (ATC) was briefly lost while flying over German airspace", said an official spokesperson, but he did not specify for how long communication was severed and in which flying zone. Communication was safely restored within a few minutes. "The flight with 330 guests and 15 crew subsequently landed at London", read a statement issued by Jet Airways. As a precaution, the German Air Force deployed its aircraft to ensure the safety of the flight and its guests.

"Jet Airways has duly reported the matter to the concerned authorities including the DGCA".

Incidentally, a video shot by the pilot of another European airline flying 2,000 feet above 9W 118 indicated that the flight was incommunicado for 10 to 15 minutes.